Empath | Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men

Tag Archive for Empath

As Mentioned in Episode 263 – The Oldest Teens of Them All

September 15, 2019 As Mentioned, As Mentioned No comments

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Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line!

This looks like a “Sexy Spider-Woman” costume from Party City. (X-Force #34)

IT’S FOR FLIRTING, RICTOR. (X-Force #34)

I guess this is just his thing now. (X-Force #34)

These guys. <3 (X-Force #34)

At least one person on this art team clearly thought Rictor was Gambit. (X-Force #34)

Seriously, though, why did they come along? (X-Force #34)

Who even sits like that while they’re thinking? (X-Force #34)

Starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. (X-Force #35)

The. Worst. Security. System. (X-Force #35)

X-Force kind of needs a team counselor. (X-Force #35)

I want a whole side story about the two of them raising some hell. (X-Force #35)

Okay, but for the record, atomic bombs are also bad. (X-Force #35)

Cable, have you even read this comic? (X-Force #35)

That’s our boy. (X-Force #36)

Sucks to be Nimrod, I guess? (X-Force #36)

I’m really uncomfortable with the concept of “hot Apocalypse.” (X-Force #37)

Later, S’mores. (X-Force #37)

I don’t know why this panel is so funny to me, but IT’S SO FUNNY. (X-Force #37)

That’s not how you coffin, guys. (X-Force #37)

Right there with you, Sam. (X-Force #37)

“Also, you’re big jerks.” (X-Force #37)

NEXT EPISODE: Douglock!

263 – The Oldest Teens of Them All

September 8, 2019 podcasts 10 comments

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Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line!

In which Cable and Domino may or may not be very old teenagers; disguises are not Dani Moonstar’s strong suit; Empath remains awful; Shatterstar probably talks exactly like a telenovela; X-Force needs an office manager; Mothra is larger than most things; and if you get to choose between being an External or a Guthrie, always be a Guthrie.

X-PLAINED:

Bastion, to some extent
X-Force #34-37
Optical disambiguation
Moonstar
Face tentacle semantics
Sandwiches (again)
The Richter family
An entirely avoidable fight
Some time-travel bullshit
Hannigan Electronics
An insecurity system
Nimrods
Things neural networks would probably do instead of murdering you
Defining traits of the Externals
Adoption, X-Factor style
Wolverine: The Long Night

NEXT EPISODE: Douglock!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

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Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

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As Mentioned in Episode 225 – Class Reunion (feat. Austin Gorton)

December 2, 2018 As Mentioned, As Mentioned 2 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line!

I miss when comics had dialogue on their covers! And when Emma Frost was ten feet tall. (New Warriors #10)

“Your uzi is no match for my very tall right boot!” (New Warriors #10)

If Emma’s telepathy weren’t invisible, this is exactly how viscerally violent it would look. (New Warriors #10)

Oh, Speedball – never change. Like, especially into a mopey edgelord with spikes inside his costume. (New Warriors #10)

Angelica Jones, you warm my heart. And also everything else. (New Warriors #10)

The tarot of the who now? (New Warriors #10)

You tell her, Firestar! (New Warriors #10)

Darick Robertson, you sure can draw… everything. (New Warriors #31)

Background-Cyclops is annoyed at the damned teenagers always hogging the phone line with their endless calls and their AOLs. (New Warriors #31)

Cannonball’s facial expression speaks for us all. (New Warriors #31)

Remember – neither of these women actually has flame powers! (New Warriors #31)

I bet there’s a long German word for the terror that comes from knowing you’re about to crash into your friend’s crotch at seventy miles per hour (and a second word for the terror that comes from being on the receiving end). (New Warriors #31)

Shine on, you justifiedly resentful diamond. (New Warriors #31)

That’s it. That’s the whole explanation. (New Warriors #31)

Emma Frost believes strongly in clear labels. (New Warriors #31)

I liked the yellow better, but this ain’t bad. (New Warriors #31)

Next time: X-Factor finally makes it to Genosha!

LINKS & FURTHER READING

We talked all about Firestar in Episode 42 – A Firestar Is Born
Check out Austin Gorton’s X-Aminations – writeups of every X-issue from 1963 on!
Listen to Austin on his podcast, A Very Special Episode!

225 – Class Reunion (feat. Austin Gorton)

December 2, 2018 podcasts 16 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Art by David Wynne. Wanna buy the original? Drop him a line!

In which we check in on Firestar and the New Warriors; superheroes often celebrate Bring Your Mom To The Amazon Day; Fabian Nicieza employs only the finest of lampshades; and Emma Frost still doesn’t apologize for blowing up that pony.

X-PLAINED:

Vance Astro(vik)
Penance (but not that one)
Austin Gorton’s X-Aminations
New Warriors #10
Firestar (Angelica Jones)
The New Warriors
Visual representations of invisible mutant powers
The Hellions (more) (again)
Tarot and her Morrisonian powers
Bevatrons
Oxy-cution
The inevitably increasing complexity of superhero origins
The Miracle of Microwaves
New Warriors #31
Nova Roma
Magma (Amara Aquilla) (or Allison Crestmere, I guess)
A brief and futile attempt at Roman soldier disambiguation
Empath and his large collection of red flags
Gender-based intuition
A massive, stupid, and quickly undone retcon
Super-nature versus super-nurture
The hypothetical psychological roots of Emma Frost’s fashion phases

NEXT EPISODE: X-Factor finally makes it to Genosha!

Check out the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

As Mentioned in Episode 136 – Fill-In Frenzy!

November 29, 2016 As Mentioned, As Mentioned 3 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and coffee mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

(We also made a coffee mug, because, I mean, LOOK AT THIS.)

This is a demigod who loves his work. (New Mutants #81)

Backlighting: the difference between camp and divinity. (New Mutants #81)

You almost gotta feel sorry for the guy. Almost (New Mutants #81)

Look at that face. He’s so happy. Like a golden retriever who loves crime. (New Mutants #81)

Encasing people in molten rock kind of seems like the opposite of a rescue, but, sure, go for it. (New Mutants #81)

Aw. (New Mutants #81)

Don’t worry. They die on the next page. (Excalibur #20)

…’Kay. (Excalibur #20)

Not cool, Megan. (Excalibur #20)

Ron Lim’s CB isn’t just a cad, he’s a super-cad! (Excalibur #20)

THIS BAR THO (Excalibur #20)

There’s… there’s a lot going on here. (Excalibur #20)

This damn issue. (Excalibur #20)

She looks so happy about her not-a-pep-talk! (Excalibur #20)

That about covers it, yes. (X-Factor #47)

AUGH (X-Factor #47)

Arch-Bat-Angel-Man. (X-Factor #47)

In his parents’ defense, he did reanimate their dead dog. (X-Factor #47)

This guy. (X-Factor #47)

After looking like evil Zonker Harris, Greg’s secondary superpower is irony. (X-Factor #47)

We may have hit peak Warren Worthington III. (X-Factor #47)

Sensible kids! (X-Factor #47)

LINKS & FURTHER READING

Both Deadpool and Deadpool respect sex workers, and it’s fucking awesome.

136 – Fill-In Frenzy

November 28, 2016 podcasts 25 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and coffee mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

In which we find the idea of Jack Kirby as G-d deeply comforting; “Jercules” is our new favorite insult; the difference between camp and divinity is good backlighting; Zeus does not have the moral high ground; Ron Lim’s Captain Britain is the definitive cad; the Demon Druid is the saddest supervillain; Archangel broods like it’s his day job; and Jay gets to do all the fun voices for once.

X-PLAINED:

The Upstarts
An inflatable Batman
New Mutants #81
Excalibur #20
X-Factor #47
Our favorite Magma story
The best insult
Pugilistic impunity
A context-inappropriate oath
The worst film festival
Fighting fire with Magma
The Demon Druid
A Satanic pirate tavern
Reactorhenge
The depths of fuchsia
Archangel’s deeply weird comfort mechanisms
Some dude named Greg
Publishing delays

NEXT WEEK: Lady Mandarin, feat. Sarah Kuhn

You can find the visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Jay and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

We’re in the process of migrating our official shop to TeePublic! Click over to check it out! (You can still find the designs we haven’t moved yet at Redbubble.)

Buy prints (or mugs) of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

As Mentioned in Episode 96 – Horsemen of the Playground

February 14, 2016 As Mentioned, As Mentioned 3 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

How you know a psychic event is a big deal: the cross-franchise reaction montage! (X-Factor Annual #3)

Well, that’s certainly one way to stage an intervention. (X-Factor Annual #3)

These delightful scamps. (X-Factor Annual #3)

Warlock, never change. (New Mutants Annual #4)

Can we have a moment of rapt silence for how well June Brigman draws body language? (New Mutants Annual #4)

The High Evolutionary’s head scientist, Stack, appears to be dual-wielding a cane and a staple gun. Because, evolution. (New Mutants Annual #4)

“On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” (New Mutants Annual #4)

Hell, yeah, equal-opportunity battle lingerie! (Well, except for Magneto, but he marches to the beat of his own fuchsia drum.) (New Mutants Annual #4)

Horses: totally the worst. (New Mutants Annual #4)

The scene that blew tiny Miles’s tiny mind. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

AND THAT’S WHY YOU ALWAYS LEAVE A NOTE. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

Man, if we had a dollar for every time that happened… (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

POIT: Definitely the cutest sound effect. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

In which Alex comes *this close* to the realization that Charles Xavier is totally a supervillain. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

SURE, WHY NOT? (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

Remember the time Storm had adventures on pirate space city on the back of a flying wolf? Because that was definitely a thing that actually happened. (Classic X-Men #22)

Oh, THAT guy. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

I’m not actually certain they ever followed up on this. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

It’s kind of a shame this logo didn’t stick around, because it’s pretty sweet. (Uncanny X-Men Annual #12)

NEXT EPISODE: Captain Britain!

96 – Horsemen of the Playground

February 14, 2016 podcasts 63 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

Art by David Wynne. Prints, cards, and travel mugs available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

In which we play Evolutionary War Mad-Libs; it’s probably a bad sign when Apocalypse decides you need an intervention; Dani is (briefly) the new Doug; horses are jerks; it’s probably really dangerous to be Longshot; Storm has the coolest friends; the High Evolutionary is very high indeed; and we make a (very token) nod to Valentine’s Day.

X-PLAINED:

Secret Origins of the High Evolutionary
Evolutionary War
The actual history of eugenics in America
X-Factor Annual #3
New Mutants Annual #4
Uncanny X-Men Annual #12
Classic X-Men #22
Purifiers (but not those purifiers)
Stack
Purge
How to tell when an event has major psychic repercussions
A Silver-Age callback
An Apocalypse-style intervention
Toga Steve (Val-Or)
The return of Bulk and Glow Worm
Equal-opportunity Hellfire lingerie
Mirage’s power upgrade
Miles vs. puberty vs. Uncanny X-Men
The coolest civilization ever
Colossus’s illegitimate kid
The cutest sound effect
Origins of the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle
Stuff Jay likes and Miles doesn’t
The Elle Collins Theory of Podcast Roles

NEXT EPISODE: Captain Britain!

You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

Buy prints (or travel mugs) of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

93 – The Discreet Charm of the Brood

January 24, 2016 podcasts 20 comments

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Art by David Wynne. Prints and cards available at the shop, or contact David to purchase the original.

In which airplanes are really dangerous if you’re a mutant, Magik remembers that time she dreamed about remembering a dream, those who live by mystically bad judgment die by mystically bad judgment, It’s Always Mystique (TM), and everything leads to Inferno.

X-PLAINED:

Forge’s moral compass
New Mutants #62-63 and #65-66
Empath and irredeemable vs. sympathetic villains
Magical postal eagles
Nova Roma
Jag-u-ars
Art as era signifier
Time travel nightmare logic
Sharpiemancy
The “last” Brood
Jerk headmasters who won’t even let you commit murder
A long-awaited roomie reunion
Bret Blevins’s mad Limbo skillz
Claremont / Simonson character maturity equilibrium
Astrally furry pants
Loyalty to the living versus loyalty to the dead
The Ultimate Darkchilde
Wolverine’s surprisingly non-metallic teeth
Partying with the New Mutants

NEXT WEEK: Pryde of the X-Men.

You can find a visual companion to this episode on our blog!

Find us on iTunes or Stitcher!

Rachel and Miles X-Plain the X-Men is 100% ad-free and listener supported. If you want to help support the podcast–and unlock more cool stuff–you can do that right here!

Buy prints of this week’s illustration at our shop, or contact David Wynne for the original!

As Mentioned in Episode 82 – Birds and Boys

November 13, 2015 As Mentioned, As Mentioned 11 comments

Listen to the episode here.

Art by David Wynne.

Teenagers, amirite? (New Mutants #55)

This dress was one of the most memorable parts of this issue for both of us. (New Mutants #55)

“Psst, kid. Drugs make you cool. Pass it on!” (New Mutants #55)

One more of the dress. (New Mutants #55)

This jerk. (New Mutants #55)

Raise your hand if you’ve had nightmares along these thematic lines. (New Mutants #56)

That’s… an interesting deck you’re using, Tarot. (New Mutants #56)

Somewhere there’s a universe where June Brigman drew the rest of this arc, and it was roughly a million times better than the version we got. (New Mutants #56)